About 17 percent of people in India suffer from chronic kidney disease, and more than one lakh cases of kidney failure are reported every year. Chronic kidney disease can be controlled if diagnosed at an early stage. However, patients in India visit nephrologists only when symptoms worsen. Kidney damage at this stage is quite advanced, sometimes irreversible.
A 60-year-old female was brought to Yatharth Hospital, Jhansi-Orchhha in a critical state with nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, hypertension, weakness, and fever. Being a known case of chronic kidney disease, she was admitted under Nephrology team at Yatharth Hospital, Jhansi-Orchha. On investigations, she was found to have high serum creatinine, high blood pressure, and very low haemoglobin. In view of her critical state and multi-organ disorder, she had been advised dialysis at other centers. With timely intervention and treatment, and the help of multi multi-disciplinary approach at Yatharth Hospital, she improved dramatically with medical management and did not require dialysis. She was discharged on improvement in health with serum creatinine within normal range.
Another patient, 65 years old male was brought to Yatharth Hospital, Jhansi-Orchha, with altered sensorium, sepsis, and multi-organ disorder including kidney failure. Patient attendants were told at other centres that there are very less chances of survival for the patient. They consulted the Nephrologist at Yatharth Hospital, and the patient was admitted under the Nephrology team. He underwent two sessions of dialysis, and was successfully treated with the coordinated effort of multiple departments including Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Neurosciences, and Physiotherapy. His serum creatinine came down from 5.5 to normal range and was discharged in a stable condition.
Timely intervention and proper treatment in a Chronic Kidney Disease patient can save a patient’s life and also prevent complete renal failure leading to need for permanent dialysis in such cases. It is a general belief in society that once a patient undergoes dialysis due to any underlying condition; he has to undergo dialysis throughout his life. However, if timely diagnosis and treatment is done, then it may not be necessary to undergo dialysis for lifetime.